It is an exhilarating experience for any student to see their future careers in action, and the Quinnipiac Film Society got to see just that, live, last Tuesday.

Between 40 and 50 members of QFS and School of Communications students went to Stamford, Conn. to get a VIP tour of “The Steve Wilkos Show.”

“It’s a dream come true to see something that we are all interested in and how it gets done,” QFS Director of Promotions Tom Galo said.

QFS President Caitlin Goldberg had contact with one of the employees, creating the opportunity for the trip.

“They love having groups come to the show, so we jumped right on the opportunity,” Galo said. “And we are so excited to have such a good connection.”

On the tour they saw the studio and sets of “Maury” and “The Jerry Springer Show.” QFS Treasurer Vikki Hart said the three shows are all filmed in the same building. Then they got the chance to speak with Wilkos and the director, as well as view a one-hour taping session.

Hart, who is not interested in television, but film, said it was interesting to view the “on-the-moment decisions.”

“It was exciting to see the ins and outs of how to make a television show,” Hart said.

With film there is sufficient time to plan the sequence and cinematography, but in television, as Hart explained, everything is on the spot.

Galo specifically remembered the complexity of the control room, which he described with one word: “amazing.”

“Because we are film and television majors, it was the best part,” he said.

Galo appreciated seeing the sets and how small they are compared to their appearance on television as well as seeing how everything works.

Wilkos didn’t have another question for his guest during the live screening, so the producer quickly wrote something on the cue card for him to read.

“You don’t see that on TV–you have to do it on the spot,” Galo said. “That’s how you get it done in television.”

The motto of QFS is to “teach [all film, video and interactive media majors] everything plus more,” Galo said. “The trip was the perfect way for us to see how the people working in the profession got there.”

Plans to see a different show next semester, possibly “Maury” or “The Jerry Springer Show,” are already in the works.

“QFS will keep expanding,” Galo said. “It was a great experience for all, and we are definitely going to do it again.”